"Iomos Marad is a pure lyricist with a social agenda that educates and engages." - XLR8R "The sentiments stay solemn on Chicago drummer/MC Iomos Marad's "L.I.F.E." an effecting, down tempo call for lost souls in the community to overcome adversity through spirituality." - XXL Iomos Marad (pronounced "eye-o-mahz" "muh-rod", but commonly referred to as I-O) was raised in Chigago's Southside Englewood community and infamous 'Wild Hundreds' by his mother, and life has not always been easy. His music pays homage to her love, and the spirit of activism she instilled in him. His life has been a unique spiritual journey and his rhymes reflect that depth of experience. Standing 6' 3", Iomos casts a long shadow both literally and figuratively. He walks tall through Chicago's rough streets to the beat of a different drum...his own. There is virtually no such thing as a 'one-of-a-kind' in hip-hop. A genre that once took pride in originality has grown stale. Enter I-O ! Iomos built his reputation the hard way...by rocking shows in Chicago's overcrowded underground hip-hop scene. What set him apart from the beginning was his ability to play the drums and rhyme...at the same time!!! By kicking clever freestyles while delivering crisp strikes to the kick and the snare, Iomos has regularly stolen the show while opening up for a variety of acts, including Mos Def, Slum Village, Raekwon, Little Brother, Lupe Fiasco, The Hieroglyphics, Pete Rock, Immortal Technique, Black Moon, just to name a few. He has also performed duets with world famous sax player Frank Catalano. He has appeared on records with the Molemen, Copperpot, Thaione Davis, Oddisee, J-Live and many others. In 2003, Iomos released his debut album Deep Rooted on Chicago's 'All Natural, Inc.' label. A critically acclaimed Hip Hop masterpiece, Deep Rooted was the introduction of this Chicago veteran MC to the world at large. In 2006, he followed up the success of Deep Rooted with his 9-track EP Go Head , another favorite of Hip Hop enthusiasts. Iomos left 'All Natural' shortly after Go Head's release, but has continued to record with various artists and rock shows throughout the states and overseas; all while furthering his education and earning a bachelors in English Education. Now, having achieved many of his goals personally and musically, he has found a home among friends and fellow MCs at the indie label 'The Remnant Records'. Looking forward to the future with Remnant, Iomos is even more committed to impacting the culture of Hip Hop with God's truth through true skill and lyricism.